A motor lead extension (MLE) for connecting power to the motor of an electric submersible pump (ESP) includes single-phase or three-phase conductors in a power cable. The MLE is fastened to the ESP by hardware called a pothead connector. The pothead connector may have an exterior flange and several mechanisms or components (front block, rear block, seal block, solder joint, springs, shrouds, etc.) designed to prevent fluid and gas from traveling through the connector and into the motor during operation.
The fluid and gas seal between the power cable and a housing component (electrical housing, internal block, or outer case) of the pothead connector is difficult to make. The fluid seal is conventionally created by soldering the power cable (its metallic barrier) to a housing component of the pothead, or by mechanically fastening a component of the power cable (insulation, barrier, or armor) to the pothead, or by installing an elastomeric seal. But solder joints are weak and vulnerable to human error during the soldering operation and require significant time and training to make a reliable connection. Solder joints also require sufficient space for a torch to be used and solder applied. Mechanical fasteners require skill and are ineffective with soft lead barriers. The elastomeric seals require an operator to correctly install them.